Changes
by Kawahara Hikori
Summary: Just a one shot. A typical day kind of at the Tendo dojo.


The wind whistled a soft tune as the sun set in an array of beautiful colors. The birds chirped as they hurried to get to their homes. Among the animals scurrying to their homes, a young teenage couple was walking through the village, having a conversation about their school day.

"No, Ranma, I told you already. We don't have any Algebra homework," Akane said.

"Alright! Ya don't have to get angry at me y'know," Ranma answered.

"Well, I wouldn't if you didn't keep asking me the same question over and over," Akane replied. Akane Tendo is the sixteen-year-old daughter of Soun Tendo, the grandmaster of the Tendo Dojo. Akane practices martial arts and is fairly skilled. Her fiancé though, outmatches her by far. Ranma Saotome is Nerima's most skilled teenage martial artist. He, like his fiancée, Akane, is also sixteen. Both teenagers study under the martial arts style, Anything Goes, which is an eclectic type of martial arts. It combines several types of martial art styles into one. It consists of only two schools, the Tendo School and the Saotome School. This style allows a martial artist to diversify his moves instead of sticking to one. The more moves you have, the more moves you can use to take out an opponent.

"I wonder what we're havin' for dinner tonight. I'm starved," Ranma said.

"We just ate, you pig. Is that all you can think about? Food, food, food. Goodness gracious, it gives me a headache," Akane replied.

"I'm not a pig!" Ranma retorted. "I'm just a healthy growing boy. Besides, that fight with Kuno built up an appetite."

"The fight lasted for only 10 seconds!"

"I know, but I exerted a lot of energy to knock Kuno out."

"Yeah right. I can knock Kuno out in 10 seconds and not exert that much energy. Of course, I do use some apparatus, don't I?"

"Uh-huh. I just use my fists to knock him out." Ranma flexes his muscles. "Look at that. Pure brute strength."

"You sure are the most unassuming person I have ever met," Akane said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up! You're just jealous because you're not as good as me."

"I am not jealous!"

"Then why are ya mad, huh?"

"I'm not mad. And stop trying to instigate me into a fight. I'm in too good of a mood."

"Yeah, you got that from thinkin' of Kuno."

"Ranma!"

"Alright, alright. It was just a joke for crying out loud."

"Yeah, some joke. I found it very humorous."

"Whatever. Let's head home." The two walked the rest of the way home in silence.

"Tadaima!" Akane yelled as she walked into the house with Ranma beside her.

"Oh, Akane, Ranma. Welcome home," Kasumi said. Kasumi, Akane's nineteen-year-old sister, is the housekeeper of the Tendo family. After Akane's mother died, Kasumi felt it was her responsibility to take care of the family, being the eldest of the children. "How was your day today?"

"It was okay," Akane answered.

"Mine was great!" Ranma replied. "I actually made an A on my test in English, and I knocked Kuno out in record time. Man, our fights are so repetitious, it's almost routine."

Kasumi stared at Ranma in disbelief. "You actually made an A on your test?"

"Hai," Ranma said enthusiastically.

Kasumi turned to Akane. "Is this true?"

Akane nodded. "As much as I hate to concede it, I hate lying worse."

"Well, what did you make?" Kasumi asked Akane.

"Good enough," Akane said.

"Uh-huh." Kasumi looked at Ranma. "What did she make?"

"Kasumi!" Akane yelled. "That's none of your business!"

"Fine then," Kasumi replied. "Ranma, did you score higher than Akane on your test?"

"Yes I did. Obviously, she didn't study very hard."

"Why you!" Akane fumed. "Kasumi, I always thought of you as a chaste woman who respected people's wishes, but this last act proves me wrong." Akane turned and ran upstairs toward her bedroom, leaving a laughing Kasumi and Ranma in the foyer.

"Oh man, the look on Akane's face was priceless," Ranma laughed.

"That is was," Kasumi giggled. "Well Ranma, this A calls for a celebration. I'm going to cook something special tonight. Hmm… maybe some sushi."

"Sushi!? Yes! Boy I'm starved. Let's eat now."

"I haven't cooked it yet. I think I'll use my clandestine recipe too."

"Yatta! I'm havin' the best day of my life."

"Well that's nice to know. Now hurry along and leave me alone. I've got to cook." Kasumi watched as Ranma raced upstairs. "Those kids," Kasumi muttered.

Knock, knock.

Akane stopped her homework at the sound of someone knocking at her door. "Come in."

"Hey," Ranma said as he opened the door. "What're ya doin'?" He sat down on the bed.

"Homework. What are you doing?"

"Nothin' much. Just thinking."

"What about?"

"I need some advice, and you're the best person I can go in this category."

"You want me to advise you about something?"

"Yeah. Is that wrong?"

"No, I'm just surprised, that's all. You usually only come to me for favors, not advice. What can I help you with?"

"What do ya do when someone wants ya to do somethin' but you're afraid to do it?"

"What!?! You're afraid to do something?" Akane started laughing.

"It's not funny!"

"Yes it is. You, the toughest guy in town, is afraid to do something for someone? It's hilarious." Akane kept on laughing.

"Aww, why do I even bother?" Ranma got up and started toward the door. Akane stopped laughing.

"Ranma, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you mad. Come on. Sit back down." Ranma turned and went back to sit on the bed.

"Now what does this person want you to do that you're afraid of doing?" Akane asked.

Ranma took a deep breath before answering. "She wants me to train her so she can become a better martial artist."

Akane stared for a moment and realized he was talking about her. "You want to train me, but you're afraid to?"

Ranma stared down at his toes. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"I don't like fighting girls."

"Ranma, we are not all weak, no matter what you think. We don't break all that easy. At least I don't break easily."

"I know that."

"Then why are you afraid?"

"I might hurt you, and I don't want to do that."

Akane reflected on his words for a few moments. "He doesn't want to hurt me. Does that mean he cares for me?" she thought. She was quiet for another minute, and then she spoke carefully.

"Ranma, we all take risks. That's part of being a martial artist. I mean, look at you and all the times you've gotten hurt from fighting. That was all part of the risks you take."

"Yeah, but I'm a guy."

"Don't give me that 'I'm a guy crap'! You're a guy. I'm a girl. So what? We're both martial artists here."

"Yeah, but I'm a lot better than you."

"What's that supposed to mean? Yeah, you're better than me. But how am I supposed to get better if no one helps me train? You're no going to be there to save me every time I'm in trouble, Ranma."

Ranma stared as the meaning of her words impacted him like a freight train. "She's right," he thought. "I'm not gonna be there every time she needs me. She does need more training, but what if I hurt her? What if she gets hurt from Shampoo or Ukyo? I can't lose her again. I've gone through too much. The fiancées, Ryoga, Kuno, Shinnosuke, Jusendo. If she gets hurt, I may never be able to forgive myself. Yet, if she can't fight, she will get hurt." He looked into her soft brown eyes and saw her defiant and determined. This look was one of her more frightening looks, but this was the one he loved the most. He weighed the pros and cons and came to his decision.

"Alright, I'll train y-Urgh!" Ranma suddenly felt his air supply cut off as Akane hugged him.

"Thank you so much Ranma! You don't know how much this means to me!" She looked into his crystal blue eyes and felt herself get lost in his mesmerizing gaze. She smiled and hugged him again.

"Well, you know, I can't let you run around without knowin' how to protect yourself. If a robber came up to ya, he'd knock ya out flat."

"Ranma, I'm not that unskilled."

"Oh really? You're just gonna have to show me that."

"Why you!"

"Ranma! Akane! Dinner!" Kasumi yelled from the kitchen.

"Oh yeah! Sushi time!" Ranma ran down the stairs with Akane following at a slower rate.

"Well guys. I have an announcement to make." Everyone became quiet at Soun Tendo's words. "Because of some financial difficulty, I have decided to reopen the school." Everyone dropped their food at the announcement. "WHAT?!?"

"Well, the preceding years before my wife died, this school was open. But since Saotome-kun and Ranma have arrived at our home, our expenses have gone way up to where I cannot afford to go on living like we have been. So instead of kicking Ranma and my good friend Genma out, I have decided to reopen the school."

"Otousan, are you sure you can teach?" Akane asked. Since the death of her mother, her father had become a wailing waterworks. Soun Tendo is very emotional and will start crying at the slightest mention of his wife.

"Oh tush, I'm in as good fit as I was ten years ago."

"Physically yes, but what about emotionally?" Kasumi asked.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it. I've got it all covered. Genma is going to help me teach. Isn't that right Saotome-kun?"

"Uh-huh," replied Genma, stuffing his face with sushi.

"But Otousan…" started Akane and Kasumi.

"Don't worry girls. I'll be fine. I have not been bereft of my common sense."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Ranma muttered.

Akane elbowed him.

"Ow. What was that for?"

"Be polite. Daddy hasn't taught in 10 years. Cut him some slack."

"Fine."

"After dinner, let's go to the dojo. I want to prove to you I'm tougher than I look. And don't dodge all the time, either."

"Darnn."

"How am I going to get better if you just dodge all the time?"

"It will get your speed up."

"Yeah right," she scoffed.

"Okay, okay. I won't dodge."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good," said Akane. And the two went back to eating.

"Alright. What are we going to do first?" Akane asked, excited.

"Well, you're going to stand there, while I examine your weaknesses and strengths," Ranma answered. "Hmm… let's see. Your weaknesses. Number one. You are too slow. Number two. You are two clumsy. Number three. You don't do enough aerial combat. You also have a tendency to act out in anger a lot, and that leaves your defenses open." He stopped at the look of lost hope on Akane's face. He continued. "On the other hand, you are one of the strongest girls I know, which can be both a strength and a weakness, but for now it is a strength. Your discrimination of opponents' styles is better than most martial artists'. The only problem is you are too slow to adjust. But I think your best strength is your aspiration for martial arts that will let you conquer an obstacle that gets in your way." Akane's face lit up with new confidence. "So basically, the only things we need to work on are your speed, clumsiness, and your tendency to stay on the ground."

"Okay Sensei."

"Are you ready to start?"

"Yes indeed!"

"Alright." Ranma strode to the wall opposite of Akane. He got into a casual stance. "Come at me anytime."

"You got it." Akane started towards Ranma, but stopped as a figure crashed into the right side of the dojo. "WHERE IN THE WORLD AM I NOW!!??" the person yelled in frustration.

"RYOGA!" Akane and Ranma yelled in delight.

"Akane? Ranma? What are you two doing here?"

"This is my house," Akane explained.

"Yeah, where have you been all this time, P-chan?"

"RANMA!!!" Ryoga yelled.

"Ranma, stop picking on Ryoga," Akane admonished.

"Your sense of direction is getting worse and worse, pig-butt. I don't know how you get around these days," Ranma smirked knowingly.

"Ranma, stop it," Akane said, but it was too late. Ryoga's face was contorted in fury. "RANMA! Prepare to Die!!!" Ryoga charged toward Ranma.

"Come and get me, pork-chop," Ranma taunted as he leapt in the air to join Ryoga. On the sidelines, Akane stared at the two. Shaking her head, she muttered, "Some things never change."


End file.
